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Experts Troubled By Link Between Sanity And Loneliness

March 26, 2013 Alistair McHarg

When it comes to mental healthcare, ours is a golden age indeed. Short centuries ago, strange rangers like me would have seen the business end of society’s wrath and suffered mightily. Options included being tortured until cured, or dead, whichever came first, being burned at the stake until cured, or dead, whichever came first, stoning, caning, sarcasm, and ostracism to the far flung hinterlands where jackals stole what little food was available and rendered sleep impossible with their endless howling.

Today, mental health marches across the landscape spreading chuckles, mirth, merriment, guffaws, smirks, chortles, wry little smiles, deep appreciation for the little things of life, and bills. Freedom from the bondage of whackadoomiousness ain’t free, we know that, but most of us are quick to point out that it’s cheap at twice the price – after all, the alternative is intolerable. And so, with global endorsement, lavish funding, and society’s imprimatur, one would imagine that mental healthcare is making tremendous gains, and it is, but not uniformly.

According to a panel of scientists at ASPAS (American Society for the Preservation of American Societies) the reason for this is, while sanity is increasing at a brisk clip, insanity is keeping pace, erasing much of the improvement. When asked what in particular was fueling the “balmy boom” – ASPAS spokesman Chumley Entwhistle said, “recidivism. Quite simply, today’s recovered whackadoomian can have quite a lonely time of it after being granted their official ‘Certificate of Sanity’ by local officials.”

According to Entwhistle, “Newly sane whackadoomians face a double bind. They no longer identify with active whackadoomians since common interests have virtually vanished. Then they look around for sane people to befriend and discover that the pickings are slim. Unlike people passing for sane, whackadoomians that have clawed their way out of extremis actually can tell the difference between mad and just cranky. They quickly discover what most folks never realize…

“Humanity is divided into three groups, the admittedly mad, the mad passing for sane, and the sane – with the last group being statistically insignificant. Seeking out the company of the actually sane, not merely allegedly sane, becomes a tiresome chore for many of them, and they return to the familiar bonhomie of Whackadoomia.

“The ones who resist this temptation sometimes must go for weeks without the company of another sane person, fortunately they have learned the wonderful trick of being their own best friend and favorite company and thus have a nice time of it all the same,” said Entwhistle, who smiled quietly to himself.

APA Reference
McHarg, A. (2013, March 26). Experts Troubled By Link Between Sanity And Loneliness, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, October 4 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/funnyinthehead/2013/03/experts-troubled-by-link-between-sanity-and-loneliness



Author: Alistair McHarg

Charles Mistretta
March, 29 2013 at 12:34 am

During the Vietnam era I finished my tour of duty with the AF and worked in a hospital as a physical therapy aid. I came in contact with many different kinds of people. The ones labeled mentally unbalanced were usually the most interesting. Still young enough to be impresionable, I listened to peoples' stories. Those with the least credibility sounded the most truthful and convincing. Years later I volunteered for a children's mental health institute. The young ones were appropriately candid and strangely poignant. Their stories revealed wisdom beyound their years. This was a good learning experience for a young adult.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Alistair McHarg
March, 29 2013 at 12:51 am

Hello Charles: Thanks for visiting - and writing! What an interesting perspective! It is true that "madness" reveals much truth, however unintentionally. I hope you visit us again!

cindyaka
March, 27 2013 at 3:54 am

High again! Sorry I misspelled your name!

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Alistair McHarg
March, 27 2013 at 4:58 am

everyone does; i fully expect it to be misspelled on my headstone - fortunately i won't notice

cindyaka
March, 27 2013 at 3:48 am

Hi Alistar! My husband Joe worked at a psychiatric hospital as an electrician. One of the gentlemen would tell the rest that they were nuts and that he had papers that said he was sane. My husband couldn't help but agree with him!

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Alistair McHarg
March, 27 2013 at 4:57 am

Hi Cindy: I bet your husband is a great guy. - I too have such papers, I needed to be "certified sane" before release. So, unlike most people, I can prove that I'm sane! Cheers

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